Association of Free Lutheran Congregations
The Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC) is the sixth largest Lutheran church body in the United States. The AFLC includes congregations from the former Lutheran Free Church in 27 different U.S. states and four Canadian provinces. The AFLC is not an incorporated synod, but a free association. Each local congregation is a separate corporation. Minnesota is the geographic center of the organization, with over 80 congregations and over 12,000 members. There are also numerous congregations in the neighboring states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The AFLC headquarters are in Plymouth, Minnesota, where the Association Free Lutheran Bible School and Seminary are also located.
| Association of Free Lutheran Congregations | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | AFLC |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Lutheran |
| President | Micah Hjermstad |
| Region | United States and Canada |
| Headquarters | 3110 East Medicine Lake Blvd. Plymouth, Minnesota 55441 |
| Origin | 1962 |
| Separated from | Lutheran Free Church |
| Congregations | 280 (2009) |
| Members | 44,473 (2009) |
| Ministers | 277 (2009) |
| Publications | The Lutheran Ambassador |
| Official website | www |
| Part of a series on |
| Lutheranism in the United States |
|---|
The beliefs of the AFLC are grounded in Pietist Lutheran tradition. The AFLC logo consists of an open Bible, ascending dove, and green vine. The open Bible is symbolic of God's word as the foundation of faith and life; the ascending dove is symbolic of the freedom of congregation and the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit; and the green vine is symbolic of the living congregation bearing fruit for God.